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More racism rows

A racism row has erupted in another Oxford college this week, with the editors of the New College bogsheet forced to apologise for an allegedly anti-Semitic article.

This is the latest in a series of incidents around the University, with many students expressing concern that casual racism is now widely accepted.

Following on from the controversy surrounding the under 21’s rugby social last week, the New College JCR bogsheet, the Newt, has received several complaints from readers this week for being anti-Semitic in content.

The article, entitled “Jewish Economic Policy,” published in the last issue of The Newt has been permanently removed from the paper’s website having caused serious offence to many readers.

The article played on prejudiced stereotypes of Jews being miserly, giving ‘advice’ on how to save money in Oxford.

The editors in this apology confessed, “we entirely accept that its humour was both inappropriate and distasteful and was representative of a type of humour based on prejudiced stereotyping that should not be perpetuated.”

They continued that although the article was “intended to be satirical” it was “at the same time deeply offensive”.
Yet there are many students are still concerned, with one comment on the Newt website hoped that “Oxford actually responds to the fact that it has allowed a culture of casual racism and elitism to flourish and will respond extremely harshly to the author.

“It is clear that the University must send a very clear signal out that this is simply not acceptable.” Yet many are worried that it is specifically among University students that racist ‘banter’ is becoming a more accepted norm. OUSU’s Vice-President (Welfare and Equal Opportunities) Rosanna McBeath stated that “‘Banter’ which stereotypes and degrades any member of society is unacceptable and should not be tolerated.”

 

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